The exhibit hall at the annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists in New Orleans was filled with the tools, drugs and supplies that help anesthesia providers perform their jobs more efficiently. Ed Mariano, MD, an associate clinical professor of anesthesiology in the School of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego, walked the show floor in search of the devices that generated the most excitement.

1. Anesthesia-Rx anesthesia cart by McKesson. This new cart features a 19-inch touchscreen monitor that allows for medication dispensing with just 2 taps of the screen. You log into the system, unlock the cart and use the touchscreen to select the patient and needed medication, which automatically opens the corresponding storage bin in the cart's medication drawer. Virtual pocket technology creates prompts on the system's screen to guide you to the proper drug, which McKesson says promotes dispensing efficiencies. Also, the cart's drawers and pockets are customizable to fit your specific dispensing and storage needs. Its software platform connects to your formulary to improve medication charge capture, to an optional bar-code scanner and to a printer that automatically generates syringe labels.

2. Glidescope Cobalt AVL from Verathon. The Glidescope Cobalt AVL line of video laryngoscopes now feature real-time recording and an on-board video tutorial to guide users to more effective intubations. The captured video can be projected onto OR monitors or easily downloaded to a USB drive for later viewing, making the device ideal for use in teaching facilities. A new, digital, color monitor, a camera placed at a 60 ? angle on the laryngoscope and an anti-fogging mechanism at the camera lens improve visualization during intubations. Two different-sized, single-use Stats come standard, making the device appropriate for use on all patients, including the morbidly obese.

3. nCompass 8100H Series and eVision patient monitors from Criticare Systems. Two new monitors were on display in Criticare's exhibit space. The company touted the 12.1-inch touchscreen display, simplified menus and dedicated function keys of the nCompass, which can be hung on walls and rollstands because of its compact and lightweight design. Its data output is compatible with most EMR systems. Criticare also showcased the eVision monitor that's scheduled for release in early 2010. Solar panel charging, low power consumption and fully recyclable packaging make the eVision the company's first environmentally friendly product. Aside from its green features, the monitor's highlights include a high-resolution touchscreen display, programming options for individual patients, easily swappable modules, a full set of connectivity options and a compact, lightweight case that Criticare says is intended specifically for use in the OR.

4. Bair Paws Flex Gown from Arizant Healthcare. The Flex Gown is an all-in-one patient warming option, says Arizant. During procedures on the lower body, for example, the gown can be transformed into an upper-body warming system. Here's how it works: You first unfold the built-in warming sleeves and secure them to the patient's arms with perforated tie strips. Next, you fold up the body of the gown to expose the patient's lower body, attach the folded gown to the patient's torso with an adhesive strip, deploy the gown's built-in head drape and attach a Bair Paws heating unit to a port in the gown's shoulder. At the procedure's conclusion, you remove the warming sleeve extensions by tearing along perforations, remove the head drape and adhesive tape, pull the gown down over the patient's body before connecting it to a warming unit's hose. The design lets you pre-warm patients and maintain normothermia throughout the case.

5. Venue 40 ultrasound system by GE Healthcare. This new addition to the growing ultrasound market provides clear visualization of both anatomy and needle when placing regional nerve blocks, says GE. The compact device was designed with intuitive touchscreen controls instead of buttons or knobs to make it easy to use for physicians at the point of care, according to a company rep. Its single-surface, seamless screen is easy to clean between cases with standard medical disinfectant. The Venue 40's imaging technology and full-color, 10.4-inch screen provide high-quality looks at tissue definition and a large image-to-screen proportion, according to GE. Its price ranges from the mid-$20s to mid-$30s, depending on the configuration.

6. Smart Label System from Codonics. The Smart Label System provides a quick and easy way to print accurate syringe labels. It includes a built-in computer, user-friendly touchscreen interface, bar-code reader and label printer. After you scan bar codes on drug vials, the system provides an audio confirmation of the drug's name and dose before printing an easy-to-read, full-color label that notes the medication's name, concentration, date and time that it's prepared, date and time of expiration, initials of the preparer and syringe-identifying bar code. The system helps you meet medication labeling guidelines handed down by The Joint Commission and the American Society of Anesthesiologists.

7. DPM 6 & 7 patient monitors by Datascope. These monitors are operated using a high-resolution touchscreen that lets you toggle quickly between monitor functions. You can also program your most frequently used functions into on-screen, quick-action keys. The monitors come standard with a 3- to 5-lead ECG and non-invasive blood pressure, DPM SpO2, pulse rate, respiration and dual-channel temperature readings. Datascope says lithium ion batteries that last 2 hours make the monitors ideal for transport with patients from the OR to PACU. Optional features include ST analysis, Masimo's SET SpO2 monitoring, up to 8 invasive blood-pressure channels, conventional CO2 or Microstream's ETCO2 monitoring and a multi-gas analysis module. Datascope says 8 external module slots that supplement the 5 slots built into the main unit offer clinical versatility. The monitors capture up to 120 hours of clinical trends and 24 hours of waveform review for accurate clinical documentation.

8. IntraOral Mask from NuMask. The IntraOral Mask is secured inside the patient's gum line, a placement that creates leak-free wet seals regardless of a patient's facial features, facial hair or excess weight, making it well-suited for managing difficult airways, says NuMask. In the OR, the mask's retention shield allows for hands-free ventilation of patients placed in prone, lateral or vertical positions, and its streamlined design puts claustrophobic patients at ease during pre-oxygenation. It also aids anesthesia providers during conscious sedation and mask-assisted cases, elective endotracheal intubation or placement of a laryngeal mask airway device. A pliable oropharyngeal airway that guards against dental trauma integrates with the mask.

9. NanoMaxx ultrasound by Sonosite. This portable system shows high-resolution images on an 8-inch screen, helping anesthesia providers visualize anatomy during placement of central lines, regional nerve blocks or epidurals. It powers on in less than 20 seconds and weighs 6 lbs., meaning it can be mounted on a stand or gas machine to save OR space. Single-button and touchscreen technology and large, on-screen icons make it easy to use, says the company.

10. C-MAC video laryngoscope by Karl Storz. A simplified design renews focus on the features that matter most at the point of care, says Karl Storz. Easy-to-decipher touch keys replace control menus, and its ergonomic handle is available in Macintosh blades, sizes 2, 3 and 4. A CMOS chip mounted on the distal lens provides a 60 ? field of view — the optimal angle for an overview of the oropharynx — displayed on a high-resolution, 7-inch LCD monitor. The mobile system captures still and video images for storage on an SD memory card and can be up and running in a matter of seconds, thanks to an automatic white balance performed as soon as the device is turned on.